What an emotional rollercoaster!! Such a good read! I loved Jake and all he was able to overcome/rise above. Leila was a bitch for much of the book but she did have endearing qualities and had very much redeemed herself by the end of the book. Would love to read more from Allbright.

I have really struggled with this book and have stopped half way through. It’s a great premise - telling the story of a friendship by each charm Leila has on the silver charm bracelet left by her mother. Leila’s mother leaves her husband and daughter when Leila is little. As a result her life changes completely. They have always lived three doors from her maternal grandfather Ray, but they have to sell the house. The new owners are moving in while Leila is still outside her grandad’s house so their son Jake comes to talk to her. He’s a couple of years older than Leila but is drawn by her slightly otherworldly silver blonde hair. I imagine her like a little fairy. When Jake goes inside he realises he will have Leila’s bedroom and he is blown away by her painted doors into other worlds including Narnia. Plus, under the bed she has left a painting of a magical world complete with unicorns. Jake feels he has a shortcut into Leila’s inner world.

From here, every so often Leila receives a charm for her bracelet that she believes are from her Mum. It does seem that every time a charm arrives Jake isn’t far behind, His time in the house down the road is not a happy one, and it’s clear just from the state of the house that something is going wrong within the family. When Leila and her dad return to live with Ray they comment on how neglected the house looks and it’s clear that Jake has been spending some time with Ray. Jakes dad is a drinker and when drunk he is violent towards Jake and his mother. The story follows Leila into teenage years and coming of age, and each time Jake appears in some way.

My whole problem with the novel was Leila. She simply doesn’t jump off the page in the same way as Jake. He is interesting to read emotionally and has strength, fortitude, loyalty and kindness. I felt that Leila paled by comparison. There were many descriptions of her art, her clothing and her car but nothing that made me warm to her as the central character. She really doesn’t seem to have much inner life and doesn’t really grow up. She is still blaming everything in her life on her mother leaving but doesn’t appreciate the amazing Dad and Grandad she does have. She is openly rude to Jake on several occasions and once accuses him of being over involved with her grandad when it’s clear they’ve been very close and he was the inspiration behind Jake joining the navy. It’s almost as if she’s totally blinkered to anyone else’s existence. Her dad has to show her letters and postcards to prove Jake and her grandad had a relationship.I guessed that the charms were from Jake early on and she has no idea. In the end I started to wonder why he was so bothered about her because she seems a bit narcissistic.
From that point I couldn’t believe in the relationship and I decided to stop.
I’m sure there are people who will enjoy this novel and find it touching. It just wasn’t for me.

5 stars all the way. This book was everything I didn't think I needed until I read it. The book blurb only slightly touches on just how much this book will move you in ways you didn't know it could. The story of Jake and Leila goes beyond that of a typical angsty romance. It's raw, rough around the edges, complicated.

It was a beautifully written story that gave me all the feels. It started at the beginning of Jake and Leila's ever changing love story, the day Jake first met Leila when she was sitting in her dad's car. Characters had great depth and I felt everything they felt. My emotions were all over the place with this book...sad, happy, tearful, annoyed, broken, moved. The authors descriptions were vivid and beautiful. A couple examples: when describing the rainbow charm which completely and utterly broke me. I had just miscarried myself so it's safe to say this book brought me to tears several times throughout. Also, in describing Leila as "she barges through the doorway onto the sunny path. As she turns to face him, the sunlight catches her silvery blonde hair and set it on fire." Amazing description right there in how Jake describes Leila! As much as she frustrates him, her feistiness makes him love her more.

As Leila discusses each charm to the woman who found it, you get to go on her journey with her. The ending yet again brought me to tears. When Jake was rushing to get back to Leila, in that moment I just knew. As heart-breaking the ending was, it felt complete when Leila got to meet the woman who found her charm bracelet. In that moment, I think Leila knew she found a new friend for life and new hope for the next chapter in her life. This is my first book by this author and I cannot wait to engross myself in her future novels.

There are triggers: miscarriage, child abuse, domestic abuse, abandonment.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Such a cute romance story and I loved every minute of it. Jake and Leila were such a fantastic couple and I loved the story of them. I can only imagine how she felt losing her charm bracelet which represented so many pieces of her life. As she retells the story of the charms to the stranger who found it, she walks through her life.

Leila's charms are what my tattoos are to me. Each one if from a part of my life that I will always remember. I loved every minute of this.

I really enjoyed reading this story, it was a new genre for me and have to say I will be looking forward to more

A moving and heartwarming love story awaits readers who enjoy coming-of-age love stories mixed with plenty of hugs and tears. Yes, in some ways this book is too much- too much tear-jerking of the heart strings- but why not? Why not escape to Dorset, England and savor the story of two broken people who come together because of a charm bracelet?

Leila and Jake meet when they are about 11 and 13 and both are facing difficult, cruel times in their lives. Although they go their separate ways for many years, off and on they reconnect. Leila doesn’t know that Jake is the one sending her charms for her charm bracelet, pretty little tokens that celebrate the memorable times of her life. The charms comfort Leila and give purpose to Jake. But are charms enough to overcome the sadness and struggles of their lives?

In addition to Leila and Jake, there are many other wonderful characters to read about. All are well-drawn and for the most part, a mix of good and flawed. Leila’s Granddad and father do their best, as does Jake’s mother. Leila and Jake have colorful friends and they all share some lovely times together. The viv descriptions are of the setting are a highlight of this story- featuring Dorset, with many a visit to the iconic Durdle Door.

Tears and tragedy mix with happiness and hope in this young adult love story. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a beautiful story, about love and loss. It's very emotional and once I started reading i couldn't put it down.

Ok, not what I expected. I thought I was getting light and instead I got dark. But a better book than I ever imagined. Two kids, Leila and Jake, and how their friendship develops and matures around the charms on her bracelet. A friendship that tackles some serious and often challenging issues, which might be a red flag to some readers. Excellent if surprising.

The Charm Bracelet was sweet, thoughtful and super-emotional. What starts out as a friendship and endures years of rocky random and sporatic meetings, comes an exceptional story about Leila and Jake. Leila’s mom deserts her family at a young age and Leila struggles her entire childhood and adult life to make meaningful connections. She’s distant, timid and occasionally I found her personality down right hard to enjoy. But Jake is an exceptional human being and I rallied for him from the beginning. Jake is raised in a dangerous home and yet his heart is kind and loving, patient and driven. As Leila and Jake’s story unfolds, one charm at a time, the reader is taken on a journey of friendship, love, art and the beauty of truly knowing what lies in someone else’s heart. The Charm Bracelet was a fun, thoughtful and romantic read. I cannot wait for it to be available for friends to pick up and discuss.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow what a book, I knew from the first few pages this was going to be a special one!

A gorgeous story to get totally lost in, learning the story of Leila's charm bracelet and all of the memories that it holds. I laughed and cried reading this book and it shoots straight into that elusive 5* spot as it just had everything and I was transported to Leila's world whilst reading.

I feel emotionally drained after finishing this book, a superb book that will stay with me for a long time. Beautifully written, a gorgeous story and brimming with wonderful characters!

I picked this book to read and then thought why as it sounds like 'chic lit'; not my usual cup of tea but actually I loved it! It was so well written and I really engaged with the characters. Yes, it was not my usual type of read but I really enjoyed the escapism and wonderful love story which unfolds within the pages. It would make a lovely read for an older teenager (too much sex description for a young reader!) but as an older woman reader I also relished in the young love which blossoms through the story.

The Charm Bracelet by Ella Albright a harming five-star read. I finished this weeks ago, but I haven’t been able to put the words together to put this review together without crying or pondering everything for so long my screen goes to sleep. There was something so special about the friendship bonds in this story, they will just make you smile and make you wonder. But all that glitters is not gold and there is joy, but there is also sadness and gut-wrenching pain. I haven’t read this author before, but I will be adding them to my must-read list as there is just something so special about the writing that will captivate you.

Beautiful.
An adoring tale of growing up, relationships and self-discovery. Such a clever, well written story that took me on an emotional journey. I laughed, signed, was angry and upset; I was moved by the power of emotion that overtook me throughout, how without realising it I become so invested in the lives of the characters.
Leila and Jake - this story of their friendship and life together is almost magical. Two lost teenagers, each in different ways, finding that they can play a part in helping the other. I enjoyed that the book took us through their lives at the important stages. A relationship between them is unconventional but beautiful at the same time.
It’s not one to rush through, it deserves to be savoured and each moment enjoyed. I couldn’t put it down! I would highly recommend this gorgeous read to all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher (HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter) for the opportunity to read ‘The Charm Bracelet.’ These views are my own.

An absolutely stunning read which has been the perfect escape from reality. I have devoured this book in just one sitting.
This is a book which has reached out and touched my heart, it is a magical read that has been absolutely perfect. I cannot say anything negative about this book.
I have loved absolutely everything about this book. The author has produced an emotional story which is a superb read.
This is a book which has really left a lasting impact and one that will stay with me. Highly deserving of five stars.

A heartwarming and moving story of Leila and Jake and their relationship over the years. Leila loses her charm bracelet and a stranger finds it - she tells her the story of each charm and the precious memories attached to each. We hear her story from both her and Jake’s perspectives.

We see how she changes and how their relationship deepens and she finally finds forgiveness and acceptance.

A lovely book - I was in tears at the end.

The Charm Bracelet is a story bound to charm you. Ella Allbright manages to weave a tale bookmarking the moments that make us all fall in love.

I do love a romance! These two meet very young and start out as friends, meeting up every few years but always supporting each other through troubled times. But love grows, and so does Leila's collection of charms, each one representing a memory of special times. The day she loses her charm bracelet on the beach is the day she loses so much more. An emotional ride, well worth the read.

I loved this book, the characters were so well crafted that I found myself getting frustrated, expectant and delighted in equal measure as the story unfolded. The end was devastating... Well written, and engaging story. Thank you.

Charming and sweet, The Charm Bracelet is a good purchase for collections where contemporary romance and women's fiction are popular.